The present invention relates generally to crop harvesting machines and, more particularly, to a flotation limit and an adjusting mechanism for use in conjunction with a floating auger.
Generally, crop harvesting machines include an auger extending transversely between opposing side sheets of the header to consolidate severed crop material and discharge it rearwardly through a centrally located opening for further harvesting treatment. Most commonly, these augers are positioned in a fixed relationship to not only the floor of the header but also the rear wall.
It has been found that it is desirable to provide a "floating" auger, i.e. one that is free to move generally vertically with respect to the floor member, so as to be more efficient in handling slugs of severed crop material entering the area of operation of the auger. One such floating auger can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,324,639 (Halls).
It has also been found that an auger can more efficiently convey different crop materials at different positional relationships between the auger and the floor. For example, heavy crop material, such as those with long straw, are better handled when the auger is spaced approximately one and a half inches above the floor. Lighter, short straw crops, such as oats, are better conveyed by the auger if the auger flighting is closer to the floor member than one half inch. While prior art floating augers generally provide for an adjusting means to selectively position the lower limit of the flotation movement of the auger, thereby positioning the minimum distance between the auger and the floor, such adjustments affect the amount of flotational movement permitted to the floating auger.
It has further been determined that it is desirable to be able to provide a fore-and-aft adjustment means for a floating auger, particularly during the manufacturing process, to more exactly align the auger between opposing bearing mountings. Such adjustment capabilities would also be advantageous if the operator has need to realign the auger due to prior damage or merely to resposition the auger relative to the rear wall.